The more I think of the Big Dipper, the more enigmatic I find him. A
prophet called by God to begin a transition into a new Order. A transitional
figure who can't himself quite make the transition, never quite makes it.
Mind you, some of us are more like JB than we might like to admit, with
our own ups & downs, our doubts & puzzling overs. It's better to
admit them, that we're in transition at this point, than make a pretense
of absolute faith that doesn't fool us or anyone else. JB's a lot like
our old friend Thomas. Let's not knock either of them without exploring
the up-side of doubt. On the other hand, there's no God future in remaining
wallowing in doubt, never getting beyond it.

That other enigmatic figure, Josephus, suggests a more political reason
for John's demise than his fulminating against the moral impropriety of
Antipas' forbidden marriage. Herodias' daughter & her story look a
bit like an excuse for an already planned course of action, like Henry
the 8th's move against Rome. The north was a hotbed for dissent, &
Antipas didn't want a revolt on his hands. If that didn't finish him, the
Romans would. Herod doesn't wait to gather a 'coalition of the duped' (The
Australian, 21.6.03) like George Dubya. He strikes & it's as much he
as Salome who has JB's head on a plate. After all, we can't have WMD's
(Warnings against Moral Disintegration) threatening our world, can we?

JB's death is prophetic of Jesus' own death, as Lazarus' raising will
one day become a sign of Jesus' raising. Jesus has no doubt what he's in
for, right from the beginning. Both JB & Jesus begin with a message
of, "Repent..", but only LK (3: 10+) goes on to tell us John's message
has a strong social content, as of course Jesus' does. Rulers don't like
that kind of thing. And many church members who claim to recognize &
come under God's Rule don't give evidence of knowing the "Repent!" bit
must be followed by action that shows God's Rule biting in consequence
of a life turned around in God's direction.